1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly, to a washing machine which can maximize a volume within a cabinet, attenuate vibration, and prevent foreign matters from entering into between a drum and a tub.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a section of a related art washing machine, and FIG. 2 illustrates a section along a line II-II in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art drum type washing machine is provided with a cabinet or housing 1 having a base 1a and a door 1b, a tub 2 fixedly secured inside of the cabinet 1, a drum 3 rotatably mounted inside of the tub 2 for rotating laundry m and washing water by means of lifts 3a, a motor 4 for rotating the drum 3, and springs 5, dampers 6, and balancers 7 for attenuating vibration transmitted to the tub 2.
The drum 3 has a plurality of holes 3b for flow of the washing water from the tub 2 to the drum 3. The lifts 3a are formed on an inside surface of the drum 3, so that the lifts 3a, rotating together with the drum 3, move the laundry m loaded in the drum 3, together with the washing water.
The tub 2 is mounted spaced a predetermined distance away from an inside surface of the cabinet 1, suspended from an inside of the cabinet 1 with the springs 5 secured to opposite sides of an upper side of the tub 2, and dampers 6 are connected to the tub 2 and the base 1a with hinges and supported on the base 1a, so that the springs 5 and the dampers 6 attenuate the vibration from the tub 2 to the cabinet 1.
The door 1b on the cabinet 1 is rotatably mounted to a front 1d of the cabinet 1 for introduction of the laundry m thereto, and fronts 2d and 3d of the tub 2 and the drum 3 respectively have openings 2c and 3c so that the tub 2 and the drum 3 are in communication with an opening which is opened and closed by the door 1b. 
Mounted between the front 1d of the cabinet 1 having the door 1 thereon and the front 2d of the tub 2, there is a gasket 8 for preventing the washing water from leaking, by sealing a gap between the inside of the cabinet 1 and the front 2d of the tub 2.
The motor 4, on a rear surface of the tub 2, rotates the drum 3 in the tub 2.
The balancer 7 is mounted to, and balances the drum 3. The balancer 7 of a predetermined weight provides centrifugal force to the drum 3 rotating at a high speed in spinning, to attenuate vibration of the drum 3.
The related art drum type washing machine has a problem in that a volume of the cabinet or housing 1 is excessively large in comparison to the volume of the drum 3 in which washing is performed.
That is, because the front and sides of the tub 2 are spaced predetermined distances (a in FIG. 1, and b in FIG. 2) away from the cabinet 1 respectively, the volume of the drum 3 is reduced when the sizes of the cabinets 1 are the same.